Get something done on the most affordable MacBook laptop ever, or listen to your favourite tunes with either the Sony WF-1000XM6 or Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro. You can also carry around the Sonos Play, opening up plenty of avenues to bring the audio content you want in high quality wherever you want to go. This month, my Latest and Greatest picks from Best Buy Canada are more focused from bigger brands. Discover your next favourite tech and check out our featured list.
Apple MacBook Neo
The MacBook Neo marks a notable shift in offering an affordable laptop within Apple’s lineup that runs on macOS. Starting at $799.99, this is an appealing proposition for students and first-time Mac users. The device combines an aluminum body with a 13-inch Liquid Retina display and up to 16 hours of battery life.
Running on the A18 Pro chip—more of an iPhone processor than the higher-powered M-series Mac chips—the MacBook Neo is built for everyday tasks like web browsing, document editing, and media streaming. The Neo’s hardware configurations limit memory and storage options are modest, including removing Thunderbolt connectivity or higher-end display support.
These trade-offs position the machine clearly as a productivity and lifestyle device rather than a professional workstation. It will be more at home, in a classroom, or for everyday computing to create some casual content and get basic work done. It will work just as well in the Apple ecosystem with full access to iCloud and connecting with the iPhone and iPad. The Neo’s colourful finishes in silver, blush, indigo, and citrus add some visual flair to help it stand out.
Sony WF-1000XM6
The Sony WF‑1000XM6 maintain the company’s penchant for top-class sound quality and active noise cancellation (ANC). Sony’s new QN3e HD Noise Canceling Processor lies at the heart of these new earbuds, working alongside the company’s Integrated Processor V2 to analyze environmental sound and cancel out background noise in real time. The system increases to four microphones per earbud, helping cut down external noise even more than their excellent predecessors.
That processing power also plays a role in how you play music, courtesy of redesigned drivers and 32-bit signal processing to deliver clearer highs and deeper bass. You can listen to wireless hi-res audio and utilize a 10-band equalizer in the Sony Sound Connect app to ramp things up based on your own tastes. Not to mention spatial audio with head-tracking for that virtual surround sound effect between your ears.
Interestingly, Sony changes the ergonomic shape of these earbuds by making them slimmer with slightly different curves. This should keep them in place for longer periods, but also helps reduce fatigue and make phone calls clearer. Battery life rounds out at about eight hours per charge with an extra three charges coming from the case.
Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro
The Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro retain the stem-based design introduced with the previous generation, though with a different aesthetic that makes more practical sense. The charging case returns to a clamshell design reminiscent of earlier Galaxy Buds models, now paired with a transparent lid that makes it easier to confirm the earbuds are actually inside. All told, the best features available here are set aside for Samsung users.
It starts with audio performance where pairing with a modern Samsung smartphone (Galaxy S23 or newer) unlocks Samsung’s proprietary Samsung Seamless Codec. This opens up hi-res Bluetooth audio and lossless streaming from services like Spotify, Tidal, and Apple Music. The quality upgrade will be more than noticeable. Play around with the 9-band equalizer to tune sound to your own custom needs.
Call clarity benefits from Super Wideband voice support, though the best results require compatible Samsung devices on both ends. Noise cancellation is solid, while Ambient mode provides natural transparency that’s super clear. Battery life averages about six hours with ANC on, with the case giving you an extra charges.
You can also read my detailed review of the Galaxy Buds4 Pro.
Google Pixel 10a
The Google Pixel 10a almost looks like a clone of the Google Pixel 9a, with miniscule differences in height, width, and thickness. The overall aesthetic remains unchanged, retaining the same 6.3-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, though it now features tougher Corning Gorilla Glass 7i and a brighter peak of 3,000 nits, making outdoor viewing easier.
Internally, the Pixel 10a runs on the Google Tensor G4 chipset—the same processor used in the previous generation. You won’t see a jump in raw performance, though battery life gets a boost, which now supports faster 30W wired and 10W wireless charging. The camera system carries over unchanged, so photos and video won’t look different, but you do get Gemini-powered features like Camera Coach and Auto Best Take.
In the end, you have a device that feels more like a refined continuation of the Pixel 9a than a dramatically new entry in the company’s mid-range lineup. But if you’re using a much older Pixel or look to switch from iPhone to Pixel, this is a good place to start.
Sonos Play
Think of the Sonos Play as something like the Sonos Era 100—but in a portable form. Unlike the Era speakers that need to stay plugged in, the Play is built to move around with you at home. It’s got some durability with IP67 dust and water resistance, so it’s perfectly fine playing tunes both outdoors and indoors. Plus, a removable utility loop and relatively lightweight body make it easy to carry, while up to 24 hours of battery life makes it less likely you’ll have to recharge often to keep it going.
The speaker supports both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, letting you set it up within a traditional Sonos multi-room home system or work on its own paired with a phone. You can pair two Play speakers together to create a true stereo pair, and even group and sync Play and Move speakers together through Bluetooth to expand how the system works.
The Play also supports Apple AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect as part of broader support for major music services. It also supports features such as automatic Trueplay tuning, which adapts the sound to the environment, and even doubles as a power bank to charge other devices through USB-C.
Explore more and check out all the Latest and Greatest tech available now at Best Buy.
